1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to audiometric testing systems. More particularly, the invention relates to an Internet-based audiometric system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many companies are required to comply with annual hearing tests for employees to check for problems relating to the harmful effects of job-related noise. Such companies are subject to liability for hearing damage which can be shown to have been caused by the noisy environment of the company. Consequently, the company typically employs an independent audiologist to conduct such tests and provide the report whether hearing threshold shifts have occurred and for what reasons they may have occurred.
Audiometric testing techniques are well known. Some known audiometric testing techniques are described in “Audiometry: Principles and Practices”, by Aaron Glorig, M.D., Williams & Wilkons Co., Baltimore, Md., 1965. Threshold bracketing techniques are utilized to determine a person's hearing thresholds at various frequencies by incrementing or decrementing the intensity of a test tone applied to one of the subject's ears until he or she satisfactorily indicates that he or she has heard the test tone. A quantity known as the “pure tone average” is commonly computed by averaging the subject's threshold at three frequencies, such as 500, 1,000, and 2,000 cycles per second. Also, percent binaural impairment indicates deviation from average or standard hearing levels.
There exist audiometric test systems and methods for testing one's hearing to determine threshold levels at various frequencies, automatically computing audiometric parameters from such threshold levels, automatically determining the presence of any significant threshold level shifts of the subject by comparing the subject's present test results with the prior test results, and automatically indicating the presence of any significant threshold level shifts.
While various audiometers are known, including manual audiometers and automatic audiometers, none of the current systems provide for suitably tracking a transient employee and hearing history. Also, none of the existing systems easily account for audiology in view of protective aids worn in the environment. The present invention overcomes these problems.